Chapter 4 Three Kneels and Nine Kowtows
Yunzhou opened his mouth to answer when he heard the driver's voice and a lot of chatter outside the carriage.
"Your Highness, Minister, we have arrived at the Princess's residence."
"Do you think His Majesty will agree to a divorce between Yunzhou and the princess?"
"His Majesty will definitely agree! The princess can't have children. If His Majesty doesn't allow them to divorce, wouldn't that mean the Cui family line will end?"
"I think His Majesty will definitely agree. Having no descendants is a very serious matter. As the saying goes, 'Of the three unfilial acts, the greatest is to have no offspring!'"
"That's true, but she's a princess!"
"They only divorced her because she's a princess; otherwise, she would have been divorced. She committed one of the seven grounds for divorce—childlessness!"
Shh, they've arrived.
"We've arrived, so we've arrived. We didn't say anything that couldn't be said."
...
Outside the carriage, there was a lively chatter.
The interior of the carriage was as cold and bone-chilling as an ice cellar.
No offspring, childless, divorce, separation, seven grounds for divorce... Every word pierced Tianyao's ears like a needle, causing her excruciating pain.
Yes, that's how normal people in ancient times would react.
In the eyes of normal people in ancient times, a woman who was unable to have children was more heinous than a murderer.
They hadn't even seen her, yet they were determined to nail her to the pillar of shame, to serve as a cautionary tale for generations to come, so that future generations would remember her.
It's truly laughable and hateful!
Tianyao closed her eyes, took a deep breath, stood up, and was about to lift the curtain and get out of the car when Yunzhou lifted the curtain first, his movements fluid and graceful. He got out of the car, stood in front of everyone, and roared.
"You all, shut your mouths right now!"
Article 75 of the Great Wei Code: Those who discuss or slander members of the royal family shall be punished with caning for minor offenses and execution of their entire family for serious offenses!
"If you want to die, don't drag the Cui family down with you!"
At this moment, Yunzhou exuded the pressure of a superior, and his sharp eyes could kill.
The crowd, who had just been gossiping and showing no regard for the princess, now hung their heads and dared not utter a sound.
Inside the carriage, Tianyao raised her eyebrows, a slight smile appearing on her face.
Yunzhou, as expected of the person she set her sights on, is fierce and intelligent enough.
Unlike the rest of the Cui family, who were as stupid as pigs.
"Wow, everyone's here, it's so lively."
Tianyao lifted the carriage curtain, stood on the carriage, and looked down at the group of people in front of Yunzhou who were bowing their heads and remaining silent. She spoke in a melodious tone, tinged with sarcasm.
Everyone was startled. Madam Cui was the first to raise her head, her gaze towards Tian Yao filled with intense hatred.
Seeing the hatred in Madam Cui's eyes, Tianyao's smile vanished instantly. She stepped down from the carriage, using the stool as a stepping stone, and with Yunzhou's outstretched hand as support, walked straight towards Madam Cui without stopping.
"Yao'er".
Upon seeing this, Yunzhou, whose hand had been released, felt a pang of anxiety and hurriedly called out.
At the same time as Yunzhou's voice rang out, a crisp slap sounded.
"Smack!"
Madam Cui's face was slapped to the side, and a red and swollen handprint instantly appeared on her face, showing how much force Tian Yao had used.
"you!"
Madam Cui looked at Tian Yao with disbelief and anger.
"What do you mean, 'you'? I am Princess Qionghua, the only titled princess in the Great Wei Kingdom. What can you do if I slap you?"
"Just for the fact that you just publicly slandered me, I could take all of your lives!"
"Furthermore, when did commoners cease to need to perform the three kneelings and nine kowtows when they meet me?"
Tianyao stood before the crowd, her sharp gaze sweeping over them one by one. Her face was as cold as frost, and every word and action exuded royal majesty.
Everyone looked at each other, and finally their gazes fell on Cui Yunzhou.
Following everyone's gaze, Tianyao looked at Cui Yunzhou, her expression unchanged, still indifferent and cold.
Cui Yunzhou met everyone's gaze, sighed softly, and finally knelt down, kowtowed, kowtowed again, and kowtowed once more, repeating this three times before speaking: "Your subject Cui Yunzhou pays respects to Princess Qionghua."
He's smart to be sensible!
Tianyao snorted coldly and said casually, "Get up." Then she turned to look at the crowd with sharp eyes, as if to say, "Even the Minister has knelt down. Are you commoners sure you don't want to kneel down?"
The crowd looked at each other again, and finally, they all knelt down, kowtowed, kowtowed again, and kowtowed again. After doing this three times, just as they were about to get up, Tianyao's majestic voice rang out like a thunderclap.
"Did I tell you to get up? Kneel before me!"
"Anyone who dares to stand up before I tell them to will be sent to the Ministry of Justice to experience the taste of caning."
Everyone trembled, knelt on the ground in fear, and dared not move.
Madam Cui, kneeling on the ground, gritted her teeth so hard they felt like they were about to break.
What a grand Princess Qionghua! What an imposing manner! Anyone who didn't know better would think she was the emperor, the supreme ruler of the land.
It's okay, it doesn't matter. Let her be arrogant this time. I don't believe she'll still be arrogant once the news of her infertility spreads.
"You eight, stay here and watch. Whoever gets up, you'll be sent to the Ministry of Justice."
Seeing that no one else spoke, Tianyao turned her head, pointed to eight guards, and gave them a cold order.
"Yes, Your Highness."
The eight guards moved in unison, kneeling on one knee to receive the order. Their voices were strong and clear, and as they moved, their swords clashed with their armor, producing a clear and melodious clang.
After giving all the instructions, Tianyao turned to look at Cui Yunzhou.
Cui Yunzhou gave Tian Yao a gentle smile and mouthed, "I'll give them a talking-to. You go back and rest first."
Seeing this, Tianyao showed no hesitation, turned around, walked past the crowd, and entered the princess's residence.
"I'm starving! Tell the kitchen to prepare the food immediately."
Upon entering the princess's residence, Tianyao continued walking without stopping, her tone impatient as she gave orders.
The maid following behind Tianyao hurriedly responded and ran towards the kitchen.
Today, the princess is in a bad mood, and she won't be the one to take it out on.
After Tianyao left, Madam Cui immediately raised her head, looked at Cui Yunzhou with tearful eyes, and cried out.
"Yunzhou, take a good look. This is the wonderful wife you brought back with such great pomp and circumstance."
"She slapped me, her mother-in-law, in front of so many people, showing me no respect at all. She...she's trying to drive me to my death!"
"I don't want to live anymore... I don't want to live anymore!"
Madam Cui cried with snot and tears streaming down her face, shouting that she didn't want to live anymore, but her knees remained firmly on the ground, not daring to get up even slightly.
Cui Yunzhou's temples were throbbing, and he was in a real bind.
No matter how stupid and unreasonable Madam Cui is, she is still his mother, and he cannot abandon her.
So, he patiently took out a handkerchief from his pocket, squatted down in front of Madam Cui, and said in a soft voice, "Mother, wipe your tears first."
"Hmph, now you know I'm your mother? Why weren't you on my side just now?"
“She didn’t say a word, she just glanced at you, and you knelt down, even doing the three kneelings and nine kowtows!”
"You are her husband. Even if you don't kneel, what can she do to you?"
"Now things are really bad. Mother and the clansmen all have to kneel here, and we don't know when they can get up."
Madam Cui took the handkerchief handed to her by Cui Yunzhou, wiped her tears a couple of times, vigorously rubbed her snot clean, and then, with a cold face and a haughty demeanor, raised her chin and secretly stared at Cui Yunzhou, she spoke.
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